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The Rundown

A direct follow-up to Earth Defense Force 2017, EDF 2025 keeps the same basic premise—using futuristic weaponry to take down swarms of giant enemies inspired by campy B-movies—and introduces some new features to keep things fresh. While the franchise is now back in the hands of Sandlot after the last game, Insect Armageddon, took a brief detour to Western developer Vicious Cycle, many of the features from that game have been brought back for 2025—including four-player online co-op and a class system that allows you to tailor your character to one of four different playstyles.

The Verdict

I know, I know. Earth Defense Force games aren’t supposed to be good in the conventional sense of the word. Less-than-cutting-edge graphics, absurd physics, and janky gameplay are all (supposedly) part of the charm, but I just don’t get it. Not one bit. In my mind, there’s an important and unbridgeable gulf between a game that’s fun but unpolished and one where the camera repeatedly disappears into the environment, leaving me blind and struggling to figure out what the hell is happening for ten seconds at a time. There were certainly spurts when I was having fun blowing up an army of 75-foot-tall ants, but if you’re looking for an enjoyable co-op shooter, there are literally hundreds of games I’d recommend first.

To their credit, Sandlot is clearly giving EDF fans more of what they love—2025 features more than 700 weapons, nifty classes, and a whole boatload of levels to master. If you’re already well acquainted with the franchise and you can’t wait for another taste, I’m fairly certain you’ll find this sequel up to snuff—but that won’t stop me from thinking you’re completely insane.

Josh Harmon picked up a controller when he was 3 years old—and he hasn't looked back since. This has made him particularly vulnerable to attacks from behind. He joined EGM as an intern following a brief-but-storied career on a number of small gaming blogs across the Internet. Follow him on Twitter @jorshy. Meet the rest of the crew.